The way the world works…
by kirayasha aka kira
Summary: Gift!fic for browneyedmami, Tamaki, Haruhi and Kyouya are in a lover's triangle...who will win in the end?


The way the world works…

By kira

_For Brownie…Happy Holidays!_

_Special thanks to my beta, Jen, for helping me with this._

888

Anyone with half a brain cell knew what was going on. In fact, the number of light bulbs that had gone off when it had all started had practically out-shone the sun. But now everyone pretended not to notice the little love triangle going on in their midst. Haruhi, who was part of it, noticed and as she looked across the third floor music room, she could see Kyouya was also keenly aware of what was going on, despite pretending otherwise. The only happy oblivious one was Tamaki, who flirted with and charmed his designees with practiced grace.

Haruhi tried not to sigh as she focused all her attention on her designees. She felt like she was walking on eggshells as Kyouya had a way of upping her debt for the slightest infractions of what she was beginning to suspect were made up rules. It was not her fault they both liked Tamaki and he seemed to prefer over her fellow host. Her thoughts drifted towards the club's president and as they did so, a delicate blush dusted her cheeks. Her designees of course loved it, their squeals of delight hard for Kyouya to ignore.

The Host Club's shadow president grudgingly subtracted, in his head, a large amount from Haruhi's non existent debt. He smiled to himself, thinking how the girl had paid it off long ago but never realized it. If he could ease his own suffering over Tamaki by punishing her, however unfairly, by adding to her "debt," Kyouya had no qualms about doing it. Wishing Haruhi had never entered their lives, he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. They glinted in the room's light, making his designees squeal happily as well.

Tamaki looked up at their noise, a slight frown creasing his forehead. There was something wrong, he could feel it and almost taste it. But if anyone were to ask him about it, he knew he would be hard pressed to say what it was. Haruhi caught his eye. She seemed happy enough, laughing with her designees and refilling their coffee cups like the prefect housewife. And yet, there was a hint of melancholy in his beloved "daughter's" demeanor and he wondered if her silly father was nagging her about dating Kyouya again, or perhaps the burden of her debt was beginning to take a toll on her. He may have been oblivious towards most things, but Tamaki was beginning to tune into her emotions. Luckily the bell rang, signaling the end of the day, before he could make a mess of things with his designees, although they did find his cowering in the "corner of woe" rather charming, as each girl vied to be the one who comforted him.

As they milled about the room, cleaning up from another successful affair, the three players in the little drama seemed preoccupied. Thankfully, everyone carried on like nothing was wrong and even the twins showed some maturity by refraining from teasing Tamaki by flirting with Haruhi. Kyouya noted wryly how the three of them were left alone to wash the delicate china by hand.

While Haruhi did the washing, Tamaki stood at her side eagerly waiting for her to hand him something to dry, Kyouya sourly noted. As much as it pained him to admit it, Tamaki was better off in the long run with Haruhi. Far from being the doted upon daughter in their relationship, Haruhi was the one who mothered him and looked after his best interests. The fact that Kyouya had been doing that job for as long as he could remember added to his feelings of jealousy and the irrational view that Tamaki was "his." Sighing softly as he steeled his resolve to let the "better man" win in this situation, Kyouya was jolted out of his reverie by Tamaki's voice.

"Have I told you that I love you?"

Haruhi, keenly aware of Kyouya's feelings towards Tamaki, winced. She instinctively glanced over that the shadow president. "No… But what about Kyouya?"

A tiny light bulb went off in Tamaki's head when he realized what he just said. He had carefully up to then kept his feelings at bay, by referring to her as his daughter and his friend as his mother. "Why can't I love you both?" He glanced over at his best friend.

"Because…" Haruhi began as she dried her hands and let the water out of the sink.

"Because, you idiot, she is much better for you than I'll ever be," the host club's shadow president said. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to be going."

"Bye, Kyouya," Tamaki said somewhat disappointedly.

Haruhi also looked over at him sadly. "Don't go."

Kyouya pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He was annoyed he could not even be noble about letting her win, without the two of them "forcing" him to stay. While it was true neither one had physically restrained him, her pitying and understanding looks as well as his best friend's childish pouting kept him rooted to the spot.

Kyouya heaved a long suffering sigh. "I'm going because the world doesn't work that way, Tamaki."

"Yes it does, Kyouya," Haruhi said softly. "Look at my father; he's far from being 'normal' but mother still loved him and what about me pretending to be a boy to pay off my debt?"

Kyouya had to admit she had a point.

"So why can't we all love each other? Besides, who cares what the world thinks? As long as we're happy and not hurting anyone…"

"Yeah!" Tamaki added.

"And don't forget how we share each other with the designees. Nobody gets upset over that," Haruhi pointed out.

Kyouya thought it over while the other two waited patiently for his answer. After what seemed like forever, he nodded. "Fine."

"Great!" Tamaki said happily. "Let's go celebrate, by going to Haruhi's for some commoner sushi!"

"Hey!"

"It'll be my treat," Kyouya said.

Slinging an arm around his friends' shoulders, Tamaki said, "Let's go!"


End file.
